Chandigarh: Commercial and other establishments in some places in Punjab remained shut on Thursday following a bandh call given by some Sikh organisations to protest against the desecration of the Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib, and the violence on Wednesday that left two people dead and several others injured.

Sources said that the effect of the shutdown could be seen in Faridkot, Muktsar and some parts of Moga districts.

Sikh organisations protesting the desecration of the Sikh holy book and the subsequent violence in some places this week called the bandh (shutdown).

At least two people were killed and nearly 70 injured, including police officials, on Wednesday in bloody clashes between police and Sikhs protesting against the desecration of the Sikh holy book, near Kotkapura town in Punjab’s Faridkot district, 230 km from here.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal ordered a judicial probe into the desecration of the Sikh holy book and the violence later.

Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday announced a Rs 1 crore reward to anyone giving information about those involved in the desecration of Guru Granth Sahib at Bargari village in Faridkot district.

In a joint operation, Border Security Forces (BSF) troopers and the Punjab Police have recovered 22kg of heroin in Punjab’s Ferozepur sector following exchange of fire with Pakistani smugglers near the international border, a BSF officer said on Saturday.

The encounter took place late on Friday following a tip-off that smugglers were trying to send heroin consignment into India.

At least one Pakistani smuggler was injured in the exchange of fire as blood stains were found during search of the area on Saturday, BSF officer D.S. Rajpurohit said.

The BSF recovered a pistol and one Pakistani Sim card.

The BSF also arrested three Indian smugglers who were waiting close to the border fence to collect the heroin consignment.

The smugglers were trying to smuggle the heroin consignment using a plastic pipe across the border fence.